Lock key



May 14, 1935. 1.. E. DEUTSCH 501 LOCK KEY Filed June 25, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEY May 14, 1935. 1.. DEUTSCH 2,001,601

LOCK KEY I Filed June 25, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .60 Zffleuisciv ATTOR NEY Patented May 14, 1935 2,001,601

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 2,001,601 'Lo'oK KEY Leo E. Deutsch,Hammond, Ind.- Application June 25, 1934, Serial No. 732,345 6 Claims.(Cl. 70---9) The invention relates to a lock key and more automatic inits working under the permutatio especially to a permutation key forlocks of permechanism thereof, and inexpensive to manufacmutation kind.ture. I

The primary object of the invention is the pro- With these and otherobjects in view, the invenvision of a key of this character, wherein thetionconsists in the features of construction, come 5 permutation partsare confined within the body bination and arrangement of parts as willbe of the key and are automatically operated for hereinafter more fullydescribed in detail, illusthe setting of the permutation mechanism toeftrated in the accompanying drawings, whi h feet the locking andunlocking of a permutation close the preferred embodiment of theinvention,

lock of a construction forming the subject matter and pointed out in theclaims hereunto appended. 10

of an application for United States Letters Pat- In the accompanyingdrawings: ent filed June 25, 1934 and serially numbered Figure 1 is aperspective view of a permutation 7 3 4; key constructed in accordancewith the invention.

Another object of theinvention is the provi- Figure 2 is a top planview. sion of a key of this character, wherein the per- Figure 3 is asectional view on the line 3 3 of 15 mutation mechanism is readilychangeable Figure 2. v V I through the use of an implement manually ac-Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view through tuated and withoutrequiring the removal of the key.

any parts of the mechanism from the key, so that Figure 5 is a sectionalview on the line 5-5 of said mechanism can be set in conformity withFigure 3. 20

the permutation mechanism of the lock for the Figure 6 is a fragmentarysectional view actuation thereof in the use of the key, it being througha lock constituting the subject matter of obvious that in the event ofthe loss of a key of this an application for United States LettersPatent kind, another key of the same type may be borserially numbered732,344 and showing the key rowed from its possessor and the permutationinserted within the lock for its actuation. mechanism thereofalteredorchangedinconform- Figure '7 is an enlarged end view of the key.ity with the setting of the lost key and. thus ena- Figure 8 is anenlarged vertical transverse secbling alock to be operated as controlledby the lost tional View through the key, taken on the line key andthereafter such borrowed key can be 8--8 of Figure 4.

' further altered or changed before return to the Figure 9 is asectional view on the line 9 -9 30 rightful owner thereof. and therebyavoiding any of Figure 4. possibility of recognition of the truecombination Figure 10 is a perspective View of the actuator of the lockoperable by such lost key. slide of the key. v

A still further object of the invention is the pro- Figure 11 is afragmentary perspective view vision of a key of this character, whereinan unof one of the tumblers of the permutation mechalimited variation ofcombinations can be had and nism of the key. the changing from onecombination to the other Figure 12 is a fragmentary perspective view isobtainable with dispatch and without dismanof the operating plunger forthe automatic action tling the key and its mechanism contained within ofthe permutation mechanism of the key.

40 the'body thereof, the permutation mechanism of Similar referencecharacters indicate correthe key being automatically set to thecombinasponding parts throughout the-several views in tion of a lock forthe operation of the latter in the drawings. the use of the key.Referring to the drawings in detail, the key A still further obj ect ofthe invention is the procomprises a two-part body I0, preferably longi-4 5 vision of a key of this kind, wherein the permutudinally separable,and these two parts are tation mechanism includes parts which are silentinterfitted with each other and held connected by in movement and areslidably arranged within the a rivet or fastener l I passed transverselythrough body of the key, thus there being no liability of the head endll of said key. The bit end l3 of derangement or irregularity in theworking of the the key body has a pair of rows of spaced holes key, thatis to say, in the actuation of its permutal4 communicating with achamber l5 within the 50 tion mechanism. I t Y body Ill and adapted tobe projected through A still further object of the invention is theprothese holes 14 is a series of tumblers [6, these vision of a key ofthis character which is extremebeing arrangedin groups at opposite sidesof 1y simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and an actuator slidel1 working within the cham effective in its purpose, compact, strong,durable, ber 15 in the body In. Each tumbler It carries a segment l8alternately engageable by the turning of the tumbler with notches l9 and20, respectively, in the said slide and inner faces of the body l0.

Each tumbler, at its outer end, is formed with a wrench-engaging socketor an implement-receiving socket 2| for the turning of said tumbler tochange the position of the segment I8 either engaged with the slide l1or with the body I 0 of the key and thus controlling the actuation ofsuch tumbler. A suitable wrench or implement is engaged in the socket 2|for the turning of the respective tumblers in the key and therebyaltering the permutation or combination of the key.

The slide I! has connected with it a coiled rectractile spring 22 whichis also attached internally of the body l0 and this spring functions tonormally hold the slide retracted within the body ID of the key formaintaining said slide under tension.

Pivoted within the chamber l5 inwardly of the Slide I! when in normalretracted position is an actuator cam 23, it being operated upon by anactuator plunger 24 slidablyfitted within the body l0 and exposedthroughthe opening 25 in the bit end of the key. This plunger isoperated upon by an abutment 26 within the keyway 21 in the turningbarrel 28 of the lock 29, the latter constituting the subject matter ofan application for United States Letters Patent serially V numbered732,344, so that the said plunger 24 will be shifted to operate the'slide I! which controls the projecting of selected tumblers l6 beyondthe bit end I 3* of the key and these projected tumblers cooperate withactuators 300i the permutation mechanism of the lock 29 for theoperation of said lock.

Arranged between the rows of tumblers l6 and active upon flat facedportions 3| of said tumblers are retainers 32 to hold the respectivetumblers l6 when turned to change the position of the segments l8 uponthe tumblers and these retainers are tensioned through a zigzag-shapedspring 33 interposed between the retainers, as is clearly shown inFigure 9 of the drawings. Thus it should be apparent that the tumblersl6 cannot become 1 accidentally deranged when the same have been turnedmanually for the alteration or changing of the permutation of the key.

The spring 22 connected with the slide I'I operates to return thepermutation parts of the key to normalcy when the said key is removedfrom the lock 29 and this should be apparent. The key, by reason of thearrangement and construction of the permutation mechanism therof,assures easy alteration or changing of the permutation of said key andthe combination or permutation parts can be readily actuated manuallyfor the changing feature without requiring a disassembling of the partsor the separation'of the two sections of the body ID of the key.

The permutation mechanism operates silently within the body ID of thekey and it is impossible to detect by sound the action characteristicsof the permutation mechanism, so that an unauthorized user of the keycan gain knowledge audibly of the set-up of the combination of th key.

It will be noted that when the tumblers l6 of the groups or rows havebeen selectively turned to engage with the slide l1, these selectedtumblers are the actuating ones for the permutation said means tonormalcy on mechanism of the lock 29 for the operation of the same.

The plunger 24 is in the prime mover of the permutation mechanism of thekey and the same is automatically moved by the abutment 26 within thelock 29, this abutment being disposed in the path of the plunger 24 whenthe key is inserted in the keyway 21 in said lock.

What is claimed is:

1. A lock key comprising a body having a bit portion provided with endopenings, a plurality of permutation tumblers aranged within the bitportion and adapted for projection through the end openings, meansautomatically operated on r the insertion of the key in a lock toselectively project certain of the tumblers for operation of the lock,and means for eiiecting the changing of the permutation action of thetumblers.

2. A key of the kind described comprising a body, permutation mechanismconfined Within the body and alterable at one end of said body withoutdisassembling the body, and an actuator plunger for automaticallysetting the permuta tion mechanism within the body on the insertion ofthe key in a lock.

3. A key of the kind described comprising a body, slidabletumblersfitting within the body, an actuating slide within the body, means onthe tumblers for selectively engaging the same with the slide and thebody to render certain of the tumblers active and the others passive,and means automatically actuating the slide to move the selectedtumblers when the body is inserted in a lock for the operation of thelook by said selected tumblers; V

.4. A key of the kind described comprising a body, s idable tumblersfitting within the body, an actuating slide within the body, means onthe tumblers for selectively engaging the same with the slide and thebody to render certain of the tumblers active and the others passive,means automatically actuating the slide to move the selected tumblerswhen the body is inserted in a lock for the operation of the lock bysaid selected tumblers, and means within the body and connected with theslide to return said slide and extracting the key from a lock.

5. A key of the kind described comprising a body, slidable tumblersfitting within the body, an actuating slide within the body, means onthe tumblers for selectively engaging the same with the slide and thebody to render certain of the tumblers active and the others passive,means automatically actuating the slide to move the selected tumblerswhen the body is inserted in a lock for theoperation of the look by saidselected tumblers, means within the body and connected with the slide toreturn said slide and said means to normalcy on extracting the key froma lock, and means within the body to hold the tumblers when adjusted intheir selected positions.

6. A key of the kind described comprising a body, slidable tumblersfitting within the body, an actuating slide within the body, means onthe tumblers for selectively engaging the same with the slide and thebody to render certain of the tumblers active and the others passive,and a within a lock.

LEO .E, DEUTSCH.

70 M CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,001,601. May 1h, 1955.

LEO E. DEU'I'SCH- It is hereby certified that the above numbered patentwas erroneously issued to the inventor, said "Deutsch" whereas saidpatent should have been issued to Marshall William Deutsch, of Hammond,Indiana, as assignee 0f the entire interest in said invention, as shownby the record of assignments in this office; ani that the said LettersPatent shouldbe read with this correction therein that the same' mayconfonn to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 26th day of July, A.D. 1958.

I Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Connnissioner of Patents.

